Handle switch housing



Sept. 20, 1949. C. w LANTER HANDLE swITcH HOUSING Filed April 5, 1946 rv HLM y wwf Patented Sept. 20, 1949 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,482,676 HANDLE SWITCH HOUSING corporation of Illinois Application April A5, 1946, Serial No. 659,991

This invention relates to improvements .in a handle for an electrical device and refers specilically to a combination handle and control device for such electrical devices as blowers, clusters, vacuum cleaners, sprayers, and the like wherein the device itself may be carried and manipulated, and the operation of the electric motor comprising a portion of the device may be controlled by the kuse of one hand of an operator.

An object of my invention resides in the provision of a simple and economical handle construction which permits total control of an electrically operated device such as hereinbefore described by the use of but one of the operators hands, leaving the other hand free to perform necessary correlative or coordinativework.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and following detailed description.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational View of my improved control handle.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a handle, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section.

Referring in detail to the'drawing, I indicates generally the control handle comprising my invention. The handle I comprises a grip portion 2 supported by standards 3 'and 4 which project from opposite ends of the grip vrportion 2. The standards 3 and 4 are adapted to be mounted upon an electrically operated device shown diagrammaticaliy in dotted lines at 5. The device 5 may, for purposes of illustratiom'be a motor housing which may comprise a portion of a portable electric blower, vacuum cleaner, duster or the like.

In this type of device it is desirable that means be provided for conveniently holding the device while performing the operation intended to be performed by the device. It is also frequently desirable that these means contemplate that the operator hold the device with one hand. Oi course, with devices of this character it is frequently desirable that the motor be periodically turned off and on. In my present invention the handle I contemplates a convenient means for holding the device 5 and means is associated with the handle, as will be hereinafter more fully described, whereby the motor may be turned on or off at will by the same hand of the operator which holds the device. In this manner the other hand of the operator is free to perform a correlative or coordinative function.

The grip portion 2 of the handle I is of hollow construction and interiorly of the grip portion a 2 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-157) l sitioned within the sleeve II.

lug projects from the inner surface thereof. A plate I is removably secured to the lug 6 by means of screw 8, said plate abutting against a boss 9 formed on the inner wall of the grip portion.

5 The plate 'I is provided with an aperture l0 through which a threaded sleeve II passes. The sleeve Il comprises a portion of a conventional electric switch I2, said switch being operated by means of a plunger I3 which is reciprocably po- The switch I2 is oi the well known type wherein successive reciprocations of the plunger I3 complete or break the circuit in which the switch is connected.

The rear portion of the grip member I2 is open l5 and a closure I4 is adapted to be mounted over the opening provided inl the grip member and is adapted to be secured in closure position by means of screws I5 which are threaded into the wall of the grip member 2. The central portion of the closure I4 is provided with an aperture having an -,oval tapered wall I6. A cable I'I comprising conductors I8 and a sheath I9 is adapted to be positioned through the aperture in the closure I4, one of the conductors I8 being connected to the switch I2, the opposite ends of said conductors being connected to a source of electricity (not shown).

The end of the sheath I9 is flared outwardly to form an oval tapered surface 20 which cong forms with the surface defining the aperture. In

assembling the device the cable II is passed through the aperture in the closure I4 in a direcn tion from the concave side of the closure I4 to the convex side thereof. The sheath is provided with a bead 2| adjacent the end of the tapered surface 20. The sheath is of relatively flexible insu- '.lating material such as rubber or the like, and in passing the same through the aperture, the bead can be so iiexed as to pass through said 40 aperture and as indicated in Fig. l of the drawings, said bead forms an abutment which normally holds the two tapered surfaces of the sheath and the aperture in contact. The arrangement is such that a force of tension applied to the cable I'I will be resisted by Contact of the tap-ered sur faces I6 and 20 and, consequently, the danger of disengaging the conductors I8 from the switch I2 is eliminated, and by virtue of the oval contour of the surface 20 and surface I6 the sheath I9 is prevented from turning thereby preventing the standard 4. The standard 3 is also shown as being of hollow construction but this feature is not essential to the operation of my invention, said standard may, if desired, be of solid construction.

A tube 23 comprises a portion of the grip member 2, said tube opening at one end at the forward end of said grip member, and projecting rearwardly intothe hollow portion. of the grip member for a predetermined distance. A plunger 2t is reciprocably positioned in the tube 23, said plunger being provided with a collar 25 which` ijs adapted to abut the inner end of the tube 23 and thus limit the outward movement of-Y the plunger. The rear end of the plunger isadapted to contactA head 26 of the plunger I3 wherebyf theswitch i2 may be operated by pushing the plunger 24 in- Wardly, the end of said plunger terminating exteriorly of the grip portion functioning as a push button.

It can readily be seen that the handle I is of relatively light weight construction and the arrangement of theparts is suchthat it can be readily assembled. By the provision ofthe relatively elongated tube 23 which extends into the hollow portion of the grip member 2, the possibility of any sparks occurring in switch l2 from moving iff the. hand of the operator which grasps the grip portion 2. By this provision the device 5 can be readily handled so as to properly manipulate the electrically operatedA device and when desired` the motor contained withinthe device may'ybe turned on or oi merely byA employing thelthumb of the hand which holds the grip portion 2. Obviously this permits the other handA of the operator to be employed for correlative or coordinative purposes while the device may be turnedl on or shut oi at'will.

I claim as my invention:

1. Ay handle for a portable electrically operated device which comprises in combination a hollow grip portion, standards. connecting the.ends.o f said grip portion to the electrically operated device, one of said standards being of hollow construction, a plate extending across the interior of the grip portion adjacent the juncture of said por- Iii.

tion and the hollow standard, a switch carried within said hollow grip portion adjacent said hollow standard, an operative head carried by said switch whereby said switch may be manipulated, said head extending through said plate, said plate and the head extending therethrough forming an imperforate partition acrossthe hollow interior of the grip portion, electrical connections between said switch and said electrically operated device, said connections being positioned in said hollow standard, means connecting said switch to an external source of electricity, and means in said hollow grip memberon the opposite side of said plate for actuating said operative head, said meanshaving a portion thereof protruding exteriorly from s aidhandle.

2; A handle for a portable electrically operated deviceV which comprises in combination a hollow grip portion, standards connecting the ends of said gripv portion to the electrically operated device, oneofv said standards being of hollow construction, an' imperforate plate extending across the interior of the grip portion adjacent the juncture of said portion and the hollow standard, an electric switch positioned in. said hollow grip portion adjacent said hollow standard, an operative contact head carried by saidswitch extending through said plate, electrical connectionsbetween said switch and, said electrically operated device, said connections being positioned in said hollow standard, means connecting said switch to an external source of electricity, and means. at the end of said grip-portionopposite to sadhollow standard for manipulating said switch, said means comprising a plunger one end of which tei'- minates externallyof said handle, and the other end of which operatively contacts the. contact head of switch protruding through said plate.

CLARENCE W. LANTERQ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofI record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES,v PATENTS Number Name Date 1,535,306 Harvey Apr. 28, 1925 1,610,386 Meunier Dec. 14, 1926 1,765,401 Browning June 24, 1930 2,114,102 Collins Apr. 12, 1938 2,263,136 Knouse et al Nov. 18, 1941 2,338,554: Taylor Jan. 4, 1944 2,455,786 Lanter Dec. 7, 1948 

